Box-fastener.



PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905.

G. M. WILLIAMS.

BOX PASTBNER.

APPLIOATlON FILED JUNE 11,1904.

Quanta/1 p are. 783,661.

STATES Patented February 28, 1905.

ATN FFIC.

HALF TO A. D. COLE, OF MAYSVILLE, KENTUCKY.

BOX-FfitSTENEPl.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 783,661, dated February 28, 1905.

Application filed. June 11, 1904:- Serial. No. 212,158.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GILBERT M. WILLIAMS,

a citizen of the United States,residing at Maysville, in the county of Mason and State of Ken- 5 tucky, have invented a new and useful Box- Lid Fastener, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to boxes, and has for its object to provide novel means for fastening the lids thereof against accidental dis placement and at the same time conveniently accessible to permit of the lid being released when it is desired to open the box.

It is furthermore designed to particularly adapt the device to slidable lids and to embody the fastener in the nature of an attachment which is independent of the box and capable of being fitted thereto without materially changing the same beyond the formation of a groove or seat for the reception of the fastener.

With these and other objects in View the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box having the lid-fastener of the present invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view taken through the box in the direction of the length of the fastener. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional View on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4E is a cross-sectional view on the line at 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the fastener detached. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4:, showing a modified form of fastener. Fig. 7 is a crosssectional view of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the modified form of the fastener. Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view illustrating the slidable connection between the cover and one side of the box.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in each and every figure of the drawings.

The preferred form of fastener has been shown in Fig. 5, and consists of a shank or stem 1, terminating at one end in a laterallydisposed handle or head 2. This form of fastener has a spiral stem preferably formed from a single length of wire, bent intermediate of its ends to form a loop-shaped handle with its opposite portions twisted together to produce the spiral shank. Intermediate of the ends of the shank and near the handle thereof said shank is bent or kinked, as at 3, to produce a lateral projection.

To illustrate the application of the present fastener, there has been shown in the accom panying drawings a wooden box 4, having each of its longitudinal sides provided with an inner longitudinal groove 5, located near the top edge of the side and provided with a slidable lid or cover 6, having each edge provided with a tongue 7 to slidabl y engage the groove in the usual manner. An oblique groove 8 is cut across the top of the lid and continued. as at 9, across the top edge of the adjacent side of the box, said groove being of a depth equal to the thickness of that portion of the lid which lies above the tongue 7. When the lid is closed and the two grooves registered, the fastener is inserted end wise into the groove of the box and thence into the groove of the lid, With the projection 35 standing upright in the open top of the groove. After the fastener has been inserted to its limit. which governed by the handle 2 coming into engagement with the side of the box, the fastener is rotated by swinging the handle downwardly alongside of the box, thereby forcing the pro jection 3 into one side of the groove in the lid, which prevents accidental endwise displace ment of the fastener, and as the shank of the fastener lies in the registered grooves of the box and the lid the latter is held against endwise displacement. To release the cover, the fastener is rotated to bring the projection 3 into the open upper side of the groove, and then the device is withdrawn from the groove, whereupon the lid may be removed in the usual manner.

It will here be explained that the projection and the handle are located at one and the same side of the fastener for convenience in applying the device with the projection standing upwardly in the open side of the groove, and by reason of the spiral formation of the tongue of the fastener the latter tends to automatically rotate when a finger-nail or some suitable implement is inserted beneath the handle to pry the same outwardly, whereby the device will be conveniently rotated to release the projection from the lid and into a position whereby it may be conveniently removed from the registered grooves of the lid and the box. This automatic rotation of the fastener is materially facilitated by the oblique disposition of the slot and the head of the fastener, as the prying of the head away from the box tends to impart a torsional strain upon the shank or stem of the fastener, which causes a rotation of the latter by reason of its spiral form. Instead of a spiral stem it may sometimes be desirable to employ a straight stem 10, as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, withasuitable projection 11 provided upon one side thereof, and of course upon the same side as the handle 12.

\Vhile it is of course apparent that a perforation mightbe employed in lieu of a groove, a groove is preferred in view of the ease and convenience whereby it may be formed. In relatively small boxesthe fastener may be made to fit with suflicient snngness within the groove to prevent looseness and accidental displacement thereof; but in larger boxes this may not be feasible, and therefore I contemplate providing a dovetailed groove 13, as clearly indicated in Fig. 7 of the drawings, the overhanging longitudinal sides of which effectually obviate any danger of displacement of the fastener laterally outward through the open outer edge of the groove.

Having thus described the construction and operation of my invention,what1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a box having a slidable cover and provided with a groove intersecting the cover and one edge of the box and open at one end, of a fastener comprising a shank having a lateral projection and a terminal handle, said fastener being fitted endwise into the groove with its projection impinged against one wall of the groove to prevent endwise displacement thereof with the head of the fastener lying at the exterior of the box, and

said fastener also capable of rotation to move the projection out of engagement with the wall of the groove and permit endwise removal of said fastener.

2. The combination with a box having a slidable cover and provided with registered grooves in the top of the cover and one side of the box, of a fastener havinga spiral stem fitted endwise in the two grooves and overlapping the joint between the cover and the box, one end of the stem having a handle lying at the exterior of the box, and an intermediate portion of the stem having a lateral projectionimpinged against one wall of the groove to prevent endwise displacement of the fastener, said fastener capable of rotation to disengage the projection from the wall of the groove.

3. The combination witha box having a slidable cover and provided with registered grooves in the top of the cover and one side of the box, said groove being set obliquely and opening through said side of the box, of a fastener comprising a spiral stem fitted endwise in the groove and provided with a lateral projection impinged against one wall of the groove, and a terminal handle lying at the exterior of the box to limit inward movement of the stem and set obliquely across the latter, whereby the stem will be rotated and its projection disengaged from the wall of the groove upon prying outwardly on the handle of the stem.

4. The combination with a box havinga slidable cover and provided with registered grooves in the top of the cover and in the top edge of one side of the box between the ends of the cover, of a fastener fitted in the two grooves and overlapping the joint between the cover and the box to prevent accidental endwise movement of the cover.

5. The combination with a box havinga slidable cover and provided with registered grooves in the top of the cover and in the top edge of one side of the box between the ends of the cover, of a fastener fitted in the grooves and overlapping the joint between the cover and the box to prevent accidental endwise movement of the cover, and means to prevent displacement of the fastener.

6. The combination with a box having a slidable cover and provided with registered grooves in the top of the cover and in the top edge of one side of the box between the ends of the cover, the groove in the box being open at its outer end, of a fastener fitted in the grooves and overlapping the joint between the cover and the box to prevent endwise displacement of the cover, and means to prevent endwise displacement of the fastener.

7. The combination with a box having a slidable cover and provided with registered grooves in the top of the cover and in the top In testimony that I claim the foregoing as edge of one side of the box, of a fastener [itted my own 1 have hereto afiixed my signature in IO endwise 1n the grooves and overlapping the the presence of two witnesses.

joint between the cover and the box and prov r 1 5 vided with a lateral projection impinged (jlLBERl WILLIAMO against one of the walls of one of the grooves, Witnesses:

said fastener capable of rotation to disengage WILLIAM T. COLE,

the projection from the Wall of said, groove. 1-1. L. VVALSIL 

